This relates generally to weaving and, more particularly, to equipment for processing strands during weaving.
It may be desirable to form fabric from strands of material that are treated differently at different locations along their lengths. Strands may, for example, be dyed with different colors at different locations. Strands of this type may be woven together to produce fabric with colored patterns.
In warp ikat fabrics, warp threads are printed with specific patterns. It can be challenging to use traditional weaving equipment to form fabrics such as warp ikat fabrics in which the printed patterns are aligned as desired with the underlying structures of a fabric (i.e., the connecting warp and weft threads that determine the fabric's construction and properties). In most looms, there is a relatively long distance between the warp beam and the fabric being woven. As a result, it can be difficult to accurately position warp strands with respect to each other and with respect to the weft strands that are being used to form the fabric. Adjacent warp strands can become misaligned with respect to each other and may not align properly with the weft strands. This can make it impossible to form precise patterns in the fabric. More accurate weaving would allow improved fabric-based items to be formed.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to process strands at various locations along their lengths in a way that facilitates accurate weaving with the processed strands.